Skip to content

minar

to undermine

verb mee-NAHR Rare
Mind & Emotions Mental States

Also means

to mine

Usage Note

Minar literally means to lay mines or to excavate, but its dominant modern use is figurative: to gradually weaken or undermine something (minar la confianza, 'to undermine trust'). The image of tunnelling underneath to cause collapse is built into the metaphor. It implies slow, hidden erosion rather than an open attack — compare socavar, a near-synonym.

Examples

"Sus críticas minaron la moral del equipo."

Natural Translation

His criticism undermined the team's morale.

Explore Spanish by topic